Ottumwa Public Library -- Welcome
Adult Summer Reading Program Starts June 1
Latest News
Adult Summer Reading Program Starts June 1

Adult Summer Reading Begins June 1

Summer reading programs are not just for kids! If you’re an avid adult reader (age 18+), OPL wants you to be a part of our Adult Summer Reading program, “Between the Covers.” Sign up at the Reference Desk beginning June 1, and you’ll receive an awesome “Between the Covers” book bag just for signing up. Read three books between June 1 and July 31, and you’ll earn a gift certificate to Graham’s Ice Cream, plus your name will be entered into a drawing for other great prizes, including a gift certificate to O’Town Books, a Canteen gift basket, and—ta dah!!—a color Nook e-reader (yes, really!!!)*. So mark your calendar, tie a string around your finger, or program your smart phone…just don’t forget to sign up beginning June 1, and this summer you’ll be amazed at what you’ll find “between the covers”!!

*Special thanks to the Friends of the Library for furnishing the prizes.

 
Teen Summer Reading Program Starts June 1
Teen Summer Program
Teen Summer Reading Program Starts June 1

TEEN SUMMER READING PROGRAM 2012

The Summer Reading Program for Teens, begins June 1st! If you are a teen (ages 14 +) and love to read, OPL wants you to sign up today for this year's program, “Own The Night.”  All you have to do is sign up at the Children’s Desk on the first floor of the library. Then, read 3 books between now and July 31st. When you're done reading, turn in your summary sheet, and receive a Graham’s Ice Cream gift certificate, while supplies last. Your name will also go into the drawing for a $100 gift card from Amazon.com, to be drawn for at our Teen Summer Reading Pizza Party on Tuesday August 7th, 2012 from 12-1 p.m., in meeting room downstairs. Get ready,….set,….register to win big this summer at the library!!!

 
Dream Big Read! 2012 Summer Reading Program
Summer Reading Program
Dream Big, Read! OPL 2012 Summer Reading Program

2012 Summer Reading Program
June 1 - July 31, 2012

Program Details

  • For children up to 14 years old.
  • Register at the library or online at summer.ottumwapubliclibrary.org
  • Start reading books on June 1 to win prizes.
  • Register your pages read online or at the library.
  • Win your first prize after reading 200 pages.
    Prizes include: Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza coupons, Sonic Wacky Pack coupons, free books, Iowa Cubs Baseball tickets, Blank Park Zoo passes, book marks, tattoos, READ rings, and various other novelties.
  • After 2,500 pages your name will be entered into a drawing for the grand prize. This year's grand prize for elementary age children and younger will be passes to FUN CITY. The grande prize for middle school children is a Meade Telescope.
  • NO ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER MIDNIGHT JULY 31, 2012.

Special Programs

Dizzy’s Reading Magic Show, with Dizzy the Clown
Tuesday, June 19, 2012 10:30 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall
Star Lab, with the Grout Museum
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 10:30 a.m. at the Knight of Columbus Hall
4th of July Party and Parade
Tuesday, July 3, 2012 10:30 a.m. at the Public Library
Keith West’s Magic Show
Tuesday, July 10, 2012 10:30 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall
Mad Science of Iowa
Tuesday, July 17, 2012 10:30 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall
Summer Carnival featuring Caricaturist David Ayala
Tuesday, July 31, 2012 10:30 a.m. in the library park

Events

Preschool Storytimes
Starting June 15, join the Children's Librarian each Friday at 10:30 a.m. in the Children's room of the library for fun stories and crafts.
Book Clubs
  • Sign-up will begin on May 14
  • The 2nd-3rd graders' and 4th-5th graders' book club will meet weekly beginning June 11.
  • The 6th-8th graders' book club will meet weekly beginning July 19.
  • Limited space is available in each club.
  • Contact Jenna at (641)682-7562x210 for details.

Whoooo can find Ollie the Owl?

ollie_the_owl.jpgBe sure to look for “Ollie” the Owl each day in the Children’s room. When you find him, and tell a librarian where you spotted him, so you can put your name in the weekly drawing for a prize. He flies to a new spot daily!

Sponsors

A special thank you to our sponsors for their support of the Summer Reading Program: Kiwanis, OPL Friends, Pizza Hut, Sonic, Cargill Meat Solutions, Burger King, John Deere, Target, Wal-Mart, Half Price Books of Des Moines, and the Knights of Columbus.

 
Pages for Pennies Book Sale -- May 18 - 20
Latest News

Pages for Pennies Book Sale

Bridge View Center

MAY 18 - 20

Find bargains in used books, magazines, CD’s, LP’s, videos, DVDs, & sheet music. Proceeds will go toward the Friends of the Ottumwa Public Library & Bridge View Center projects. The hours will be 5-9 pm on 5/18/12, 9 am-5 pm on 5/19/12, and 12 pm- 5pm on 5/20/12. All items will be 50% off on Sunday. For more information, contact Mark Eckman at (641) 684-4303.

 
Cutie Contest Fundraiser May 18
Latest News
Cutie Contest Fundraiser May 18

American Home Finding Child Care Center will be hosting a Cutie Contest Fundraiser in the OPL Children’s library on May 18th from 9:30-12.

Come see some adorable photos and cast your vote for the cutest! $1 per vote / $5 for 6 votes. Proceeds benefit American Home Finding Child Care Center.

 
Reminisce Society -- May 2012
Genealogy Services
Kirkwood, Iowa’s Civil War Governor, to Appear at Reminisce Society

Sam Kirkwood, Iowa’s Civil War Governor,
to Appear at Reminisce Society

Tuesday, May 22, at 10 a.m.

He has an Iowa community college named after him as well as a town in Illinois, a hotel in Des Moines, an elementary school in Coralville, and streets in both Iowa City and Davenport. His sculptured likeness is maintained among the two coveted statues apportioned to each state on display under the rotunda in Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. He led Iowa through the tumultuous days of the Civil War, and later became a U.S. senator and the Secretary of the Interior. His name? Samuel Kirkwood, and courtesy of Ottumwa attorney, Rich Gaumer, Kirkwood will be making an “appearance” at the Ottumwa Public Library’s Reminisce Society on Tuesday, May 22, at 10:00 a.m. in the library’s meeting room.

Gaumer, who is president of the Ottumwa Civil War Round Table and an avid student of Civil War history, will portray Iowa’s Civil War governor as he faced the challenges that the War Between the States brought to our state and nation. Adopting Kirkwood’s persona, he will entertain listeners with stories not only of Kirkwood’s Civil War years in Iowa, but also of his life and subsequent service in the U.S. government.

Reminisce Society programs are free and open to the public, and are held the 4th Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the library’s meeting room. They are especially for those with an interest in local and Iowa history, but everyone is welcome to attend. This will be the last Reminisce Society program for the season; the Reminisce Society will be taking a break for the summer, and all new programming is scheduled to begin in the fall. For further information, please contact the library’s Reference Desk at 641-682-7563, extension 205.

 
Join the OPL Events Email List Today!
Latest News
Join the OPL Events Email List Today!

Want to get an email alert about events at the library? Sign up now. Simply email the director here to sign up !

 
Download eBooks & Digital Audio With WILBOR
Latest News

 

The Ottumwa Public Library has joined the WILBOR consortium with other libraries across Iowa. As of September 6th patrons of the Ottumwa Public library will be able to check out and download audio books and ebooks from the library at your home or office.

Anyone with an Ottumwa Public Library card can download the books, from any computer that is connected to the Internet, at any hour of the day. From a website, you can browse or search for a title you’d like to read or listen to, log in with your library card number, and download the title to your computer. You can then enjoy the book on your computer, or transfer to many portable ereaders or mobile devices to carry with you. [Note: Amazon Kindles are not currently compatible with WILBOR ebooks.]

“This is a great way to make more of the library’s resources available to our users 24/7/365 and to provide patrons with the latest technology free of charge,” said Library Director Sonja Ferrell. “You don’t have to come to the library building to check out a book or audiobook, and you don’t have to return it. The book automatically “returns” to the collection for someone else to borrow.”

WILBOR's collection has fiction and nonfiction titles, as well as books for children and teens. Bestsellers and classics, history and humor, business and self help—you will find them all in WILBOR. Ebooks will check out for 2 weeks (and can be returned early), audiobooks will check out for 1 week. Some audiobook titles can even be burned to CDs for your own, personal use.

The Ottumwa Public Library will offer instructional classes on how to download the ebooks and audio books to your device. The first will be Tuesday, September 13 at 6 pm in the library and the second will be Wednesday, September 21 at 10 am in the library. Assistant Director Ron Houk will teach the classes. Please call the library at 641-682-7563 to reserve your place in the class.

The Ottumwa Public Library is one of over 125 libraries in western, central, and southern Iowa that participate in WILBOR. For more information and to start downloading and listening, visit the WILBOR website at http://wilbor.lib.overdrive.com.

 
BYKI (Before You Know It) Online Language Learning System
Services

bykiwebbanner.jpg The Ottumwa Library in partnership with Transparent Language (Nashua, NH) and Recorded Books (Prince Frederick, MD), is pleased to announce the introduction of Byki® Online Library Edition, a powerful new online language-learning system designed specifically for use by the patrons of public libraries. Visit byki.ottumwapubliclibrary.org today to begin learning up to 80 different languages! A quick link to Byki is also available on the right-hand side of the library's website.

To sign up, click on the link entitled Sign Up with Barcode or User ID or simply click here to sign up.

 
Three New Databases Now Available
Latest News

The Ottumwa Public Library is pleased to announce three additional databases are now available to our patrons through Ebscohost .  Any of these databases can be accessed by clicking on the "Ebscohost" tab located at the top of the library's online catalog. All you will need is the number on the back of your library card.

New Databases Available at OPL

NoveList Plus® can help you find your next book to read. This database of over 155,000 fiction titles for readers of all ages lets you use your favorite author to link to other books you might enjoy.

Read more...